Jan 4, 2015 · One might assume that "nig" is a back-formation from "renege", which according to Wiktionary can pronounced like "re-nig". "Renege" means to break a promise, and filling a jug from a self-service soda fountain certainly breaks the implied promise that the customer made to the restaurant to fill only the cup that the customer bought.

I used the word "renege" in a meeting the other day (something like, "the vendor decided to renege on their offer of shipping replacement SAN disks"), and got a few wide eyes.

Aug 8, 2013 · in, prep. III. Of time. 18. a. Within the limits of a period or space of time. With in the day, in the night: cf. by day, by night at by prep. 19b.

May 12, 2020 · The expression "bada bing" and often accompanied by "bada boom" is used when something was very easily accomplished or as an euphemism of the nastier bits of something (like in the Godfather). A q...

Sep 17, 2014 · ELL is the right place for posting such doubts. Keeping it simple,when we say something is ok with us, it means that it is agreeable to us.

Jul 29, 2023 · Spook was actually used by black people to refer to white people, presumably on the notion of “white” ghosts.

The expression by night is typically used to contrast someone's nighttime activities to their daytime activities, especially when the nighttime activities are unusual or unexpected.

Certainly many usage guides have advised against use of this "singular they" on various "logical" grounds.. Nevertheless, singular they has long been part of the English language, and there are various posts on Language Log giving examples of it being used in the Bible, by Shakespeare, by the president, by the Canadian Department of Justice,

Jan 8, 2021 · Barry Popik, in "Entry from May 09, 2016", mentions the joke is in the 19 January 1986, Chicago (IL) Tribune. I observe an appearance of a version of the joke in The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey) of 20 Dec 1980:

May 23, 2019 · Sometime in the 1500s. "How to Pronounce 'Often'" There’s a \t\ in often, but how often do you hear it? As you might guess, the \t\ was pronounced in the past, when the word began as a variant of oft (also spelled ofte in Middle English), which was the …